Adon we now
by Light1
Summary: Christmas is a time for children no matter how old they might be.


**Adorn we now **

Disclaimer: Hellsing belongs people who are not me. I am making £0.00 out of this fic, it is written purely because I have a burning need to create. Although I would like to own Alucard . . . then he'd be mine.

Rating: PG

Set: whenever. Lol XD

Authoress note: Alucard spies on his fledgling.

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**Adorn we now**

{Alucard}

As usual Seras was being odd. But for perhaps the first time since she had come to the mansion he had figured her out. Alucard grinned, pathetically pleased with himself. It really was pathetic, his level of pride in figuring her out. As a man he had been able to read other men like books, it was one of the things that had made him such an 'effective' ruler. Now he was pleased with himself for understanding the motivations of one small woman. Mind you women had always been harder to understand than men. Some had confused him and he had simply avoided them, others had been much too determined to avoid so he had hid behind Elizabeth. She had always protected him even although she found his hiding amusing. She had always laughed at him, no one else had ever laughed at him, few even smiled at him but she had always grinned ridiculously when he came to her. A sound brought him out of his musings. Seras was cursing at the attic in general. She seemed to be struggling with her personal mission. It had taken him a while to figure her 'mission' out. He had spotted her behaving in an odder than usual manner and had decided that for entertainments sake he would pursue her. She had led him on a merry chase all over the mansion. She was clearly searching for something. She scoured the basement but came up empty handed. She had gone to Integra to ask her something but had been sent away before she could utter a sound. Walter had made a disappearing act and so Seras had bumbled up to the attic where she was now standing covered in dust and cursing.

He had figured her out though and knew what she sought. It had been simple to spot after he listened to her for a moment. She had been humming Christmas carols for the last hour and had a sprig of holly wedged into her hair. He would claim that was what gave it away and not her small tantrum half an hour ago where upon she screeched something along the lines of "where are the damned decorations!" and something else about a tree. Seras was searching for Christmas decorations. He chuckled at her foolishness, for she was searching in the manner of a mortal. She was relying on her eyes when she should have been using other senses. Her nose would have been best in this situation. The decorations stank of dust, oranges, cinnamon and hot wine. He already knew where they were, and was thinking about helping her but was slowly deciding against it. Christmas had not really been celebrated in the mansion now for years. It was not because there was any real dislike for the holiday or because it was too expensive or too much hassle. It was more along the line of forgetfulness. So much happened here that demanded Integra and Walter's attention that sometimes months would pass without anyone really noticing. That included December. The last time Walter had made any real effort to celebrate the holiday had been when Integra was small and new to her role. The butler had thought it wise to try and give her some sort of fond childhood memory. It had worked, as much as Christmas ever does. There had been stress, Integra had thrown turkey at him when he laughed at her hat and everyone had gone to bed in a sulk. The next day they found it amusing but each year Christmas began to fade. Walter would make an effort and Integra would miss the dinner due to work, or miss the present opening due to raids or miss the entire day due to round table business. So slowly after a few years of half hearted efforts everyone just stopped. Alucard supposed it was sad but he didn't really feel sad, he felt indifferent.

Seras it seemed was going to try and revitalise the holiday. She was getting close to the correct boxes now as he watched from the shadows, he was still considering helping. He remembered Christmases under old masters, there had been rather grand parties under one particular master who had been a political climber and had been determined to win himself a high chair at the round table. He had shown off his wealth, made the right friends and demonstrated power through his 'pet'. Alucard had not liked him and had pointedly avoided the parties. No one likes being displayed like a prized hound no matter how strongly your leash was tied. Seras suddenly knocked over a rather large pile of boxes filled with old clothes and boots. Alucard sniggered at her but it was with little real amusement, she should not be clumsy, vampires were not clumsy, children we clumsy. He could walk blindfolded along telephone wires if he chose to, yet she bumbled about the attic like a blind, one legged mortal babe, it was embarrassing. But despite that he did not feel any real anger towards her either. He was slowly starting to accept the fact that she was unique to their breed and perhaps they would become stronger for it. Change usually made a species stronger, evolution and what not. Although he was slightly perplexed as to how clumsiness would someday become an advantage.

Among all the boots and shirts Seras had meanwhile somehow found a bauble. She made a small pleased sound and with renewed enthusiasm resumed her search for decorations, ignoring the mess she had made. Alucard rolled his eyes. Christmas for him had not always been at the mansion. He could remember the times in the mansion well but he could still half remember the times outside it. The seal pushed his memories of freedom down and he often had to fight for them but he knew they were there and sometimes he could be very determined, or very bored. When he had died he had been alone, his people had abandoned his castle, put about stories of haunting and witchcraft. The castle had become empty very fast but he had remained for a while. The seasons changing did not truly affect him when he was dead, he had hardly noticed it but he had to suppose that some holidays had passed him by in those new and lonely days. The castle had become a shell when he had died but it had not always been so. When he had lived it had been bustling. Elizabeth was a grand wife and a great princess, she had organised the household well. Dictating to her head maids and butlers exactly what she wanted. The Christmas feasts she had organised were truly a wonder to behold and many had enjoyed them. She had often spoken of children at that time of year. About how wondrous it would be to have a child of their own and how joyful it would be to show them this season. She had talked for hours about the different games she would teach the babe, the songs it would sing and the gifts she would buy for it. He had smiled and listened, pleased that she wanted the same thing he did. He had wanted an heir, someone to carry the bloodline. But listening to her talk of what she would do with the babe made him think. He had begun to daydream about teaching a boy to ride, showing him the secret passage ways in the castle that he was positive no one else knew about and of one day sitting at the Christmas feast table with a young man, his son on one side and his wife on the other. Strangely for a man in his position however, he always quiet fancied having a daughter or two. He had at one point only wanted sons but again listening to Elizabeth talk made him want another woman, a child to spoil. He had actually dreamed once of returning home from a far land and giving gifts to his family. His wife and his sons and his daughters. In that dream he had given his girl child a jewelled necklace, cloth of amazing colours to have dresses made and strange small cakes. It was odd of him to remember that dream when he could not fully recall real memories.

Again he was dragged from his thoughts by Seras making a racket. She had found the decorations and was making stupid squeaky happy sounds. She reminded him of a child when she did things like that, and he couldn't help but smile a little, this season was made better by children. Elizabeth had been right, they should have tried harder, they should have had children. He watched his fledgling with that thought in his mind for a few moments while she celebrated her discovery and briefly found himself wondering if Integra would mind him pulling up one of the trees out on the grounds. Seras was routing through one of the boxes, apparently filled with ornaments for a tree. She was pulling out baubles and wooden carved soldiers. She gasped suddenly and he frowned, she was looking into the box with a look of surprised aww, she reached in again and pulled out a crystal angel. It was a delicate piece, designed to sit at the top of the tree. The crystal was thin and delicate; it looked like if you breathed on it too hard it would shatter. So he was not at all surprised when she gave a small cry a dropped it. It should have struck the ground and shattered. It should have been lying in thousands of pieces across the floor. But instead it was caught, cradled in his gloved hand. Seras looked at him relief flooding her features. She smiled at him as he handed her the crystal angle. Leaning down he breathed

"Do not drop it again," before lifting the box of tree decorations and turning back to the stairs. Seras watched him for a few moments before giggling in a most ridiculous fashion and holding the crystal angel against her chest literally skipped down the stairs after him.

Christmas was always better with children, no matter how big they were.

**End**


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